Kilmac title defence up and running

KILMACABEA 2-14

O’DONOVAN ROSSA 1-7 

Ger McCarthy Reports

A powerful Kilmacabea display got the reigning Carbery JAFC champions’ 2019 campaign off to a flying start following a first-round defeat of O’Donovan Rossa in Moneyvollahane.

There was plenty to admire in Kilmacabea’s victory including nine points from an energetic Damien Gore. 

Winning manager Noel McCarthy was just pleased to get off the mark but admitted injuries hampered his side’s preparations. 

‘We were kind of rusty but then we had a lot of injuries picked up over the last month,’ McCarthy said.

‘There were a few lads coming back without many games played so it took us a while to get going. I thought we played exceptionally at times but a few sloppy mistakes and bad decisions made life difficult. Look, we will learn from those things and there was plenty to be positive about, the movement of our forwards and some of our score taking was excellent.’

O’Donovan Rossa got off to the perfect start with Rob Long sending over a cracking point inside the second minute. Failure to add to their total allowed a slow-starting Kilmacabea time to settle. 

Damien Gore (free) and Declan O’Sullivan got Kilmacabea on the scoreboard before a swift hand-passing move ended with Richie O’Sullivan arrowing a low effort into the back of the net. 

1-2 to 0-1 behind after ten minutes, O’Donovan Rossa struggled to mount a response. Four consecutive Damien Gore points (one free) plus an additional Richie O’Sullivan effort had the champions nine points clear after 18 minutes.

Creditably, Skibbereen pressed forward and were handed a lifeline with the award of a penalty. Conor McCarthy was brought down amd converted the resulting spot-kick prior to Kevin Hurley making it 1-7 to 1-2.

The game’s crucial moments occurred just before half time when Rob Long and Eoghan O’Connell were denied green flags in consecutive attacks by Kilmacabea goalkeeper Karl McCarthy. Another Damien Gore point handed the defending champions a 1-8 to 1-2 interval lead.

A second half completely dominated by Kilmacabea saw the eventual winners edge 2-11 to 1-2 ahead with Ger O’Donovan punching the ball into the net to end the tie as a contest before the third quarter concluded. 

Three Eoghan O’Connell scores (one free) and a brace of Conor McCarthy (two frees) efforts were answered by Richie O’Sullivan, Joseph Collins and Damien Gore (free) as Kilmacabea cantered to a ten-point victory. 

Scorers

Kilmacabea: Damien Gore 0-9 (5f), Richie O’Sullivan 1-2, Ger O’Donovan 1-0, Declan O’Sullivan, Donie O’Donvoan, Joseph Collins 0-1 each.

O’Donovan Rossa: Conor McCarthy 1-2 (1 pen, 2f), Eoghan O’Connell 0-3 (1f), Rob Long, Kevin Hurley 0-1each.

Kilmacabea: Karl McCarthy; Mark Jennings, Niall Hayes, Darren Whooley; Clive Sweetnam, Colin McCarthy, Declan O’Sullivan; Daniel O’Donovan, Martin Collins (captain); Joseph Collins, Ger O’Donovan, Dan Lynch; Richie O’Sullivan, Damien Gore, Donie O’Donovan. 

Subs: Niall Bowkett for Donie O’Donovan (48), Oisin O’Sullivan for G O’Donovan (48), Peadar O’Leary for C Sweetnam (52, inj).

O’Donovan Rossa: Stephen Cotter; Jack O’Driscoll, Eddie Nealon, Conor Long; Eoin O’Donovan, Kevin Cotter, Richard Fitzgerald; Shane Crowley, Colm Fitzgerald; Brian Crowley, Rob Long (captain), Kevin Hurley, Eoghan O’Connell, Conor McCarthy, Jamie Shanahan. 

Subs: Jack Breen for B Crowley (ht), Patrick Nealon for S Crowley (31, inj), Ross Fitzgerald for E O’Donovan (38, inj), Jack Cowap for J Shanahan (53).

Referee: Michael Collins (Clonakilty).